Expat Life In Saudi

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an oil-rich, conservative Middle Eastern country where Islam is law of the land and the Quran forms the constitution. Foreigners are allowed to practice their own religion in private, proselytizing is strictly forbidden and there are harsh consequences for those disobeying Islamic laws and flouting local customs.

Expats seldom move to Saudi Arabia for the lifestyle & financial reasons. Most expats in Saudi Arabia live in Jeddah and Riyadh, both of which have the full range of Western amenities, a wide range of accommodation, and the majority of the Kingdom’s employers. Some expats will also find themselves drawn to Saudi's Eastern Province, pulled by lucrative job offers in the hydrocarbon sector with big employers Like ARAMCO.

The national dish of Saudi Arabia is Kabsa, a dish of rice with meat or chicken served on a huge platter.

                     

Population of KSA is almost 30 Million, w/ 20 Million Saudis & 10 million expatriates, Indians are most in numbers among expats. About 86 percent of expatriate workers earn salaries of less than SR2,000 per month, on labor category getting low wages.

It is evident that Saudi have shortage of local workers in all business areas either skilled/unskilled worker or educated working professionals…. That is why this gap is filled by expats from last many decades, and likely to carry on.

But govt has introduced Saudization policy i.e the replacement of expat workers by Saudis. In order to overcome unemployment of Saudis it is now mandatory for all employers to recruit minimum 10% local Saudis that is pre requisite to keep company operational.

Life is KSA is very peaceful & easy in general as compare to expat’s life in their respective native countries. There is no religious extremism here even though KSA is governed by Strict Sharia Laws. Meanwhile Islam is blamed in the world for causing and exporting religious extremism, KSA is best example of peaceful Muslim Country. Here it is very safe to have money with you while roaming outside. You don’t have to worry that someone will come to you to snatch your money/valuable stuff you are carrying.

  

Criminal law punishments in Saudi Arabia are based on Sharia (or Islamic law) and it include public beheading, stoning, amputation, lashing and cutting off the hands of thieves.

The death penalty can be imposed for a wide range of offences including murder, rape, false prophecy, armed robbery, repeated drug use, apostasy, adultery, witchcraft and sorcery and can be carried out by beheading with a sword or more rarely by firing squad.

As soon as it is prayer time shops are close for Salah break, in shopping malls they lock you inside, where you can continue to shop until the prayer is over. Once they open the doors and the staff has come back inside, you can then go through the Cashier/checkout.

Most educated expats come to Saudi Arabia for one reason: Money. Landing a position here as an experienced and educated professional typically comes with perks that jobs back home don't offer. Generous tax-free salaries, luxurious housing, paid education for your children, free tickets back home, and the minimum standard of 30 days paid vacation are all benefits offered to minimum university grad expats. The cost of living here is pretty reasonable as well, and considering that for most expats, housing and transportation are apart of their salary packages, very little money needs to be spent to live here. We all know gasoline is cheap (cheaper than water actually), but you may be surprised to know that food, entertainment, and shopping are also affordable. While in other parts of ME like Dubai, Qatar etc. everything is expensive (housing, food, transport). You cannot save much out of your earnings as compare to here in KSA.

If any Saudi female wants to marry foreign national first she needs to get written approval from her family and must complete formal documentations than only she can marry him. Children of Saudi spouse from foreigner father will not be entitled for Saudi nationality by birth. Her husband and children will be living in KSA on sponsorship of Saudi mother. In contrary to this even child born in USA, are American by birth irrespective of their parent’s native nationalities.

One aspect of Kingdom's life is hidden from many, since it is related to poor unskilled labors who pay heavy money to get KSA entry visa and to get in there. KSA govt is taking strict measure to counter illegal trade of visa that allow people to work freely outside their sponsor/kafeel/company. This way Saudi kafeels are also earning money and charging poor workers to let them work outside and fee to renew their iqama/work permits.

  

As per current rule for Expat worker in Saudi, they need to take permission from current company/kafeel before one transfer his sponsorship locally inside KSA & to begin working with new company/employer. In case he cannot get release letter from current sponsor he cannot join new company unless they provide him new visa for that he will need to travel on final exit visa and return back to join new company on their visa.

In KSA we sadly see discrimination in salaries among qualified executives as per expats passports/ nationality. Two Expats working in same roles like if 8000 SAR / month salary for Indian/ Bangladeshi /Siri Lankan/ professional then up to 60,000 SAR / month for American/European nationals working on same role having same experience and qualifications!. i.e. almost 8 time more.

Among Muslim Expats it is one of the deciding factor in their relocation to KSA and charm of having new life in Saudi due to two Holy cities Makkah & Medina. They can perform as many Hajj & Umrah (Islamic Pilgrimage) from inside kingdom. Apart from these two holy cities, which are on the top of the list for Muslim expats, but there are several other sites worth seeing as well. Like the mountains of Abha & Taif, or the beaches along the coast of the Red Sea and Persian gulf coast.

    

   

In Saudi Arabia men cannot talk/mix with women in public unless they are related to or married to the woman they are speaking to. So opportunities to socialize are fairly limited.

Women are also expected to wear an abaya, a long, flowing black robe, when out in public, and female spouse are not usually allowed to work if living there as part of their husband’s visa.

They are not allowed to drive, so have to rely on drivers chosen by their husbands or guardians to take them everywhere. They are not allowed to catch taxis.

It’s no secret that Saudi Arabia is a man’s territory. You feel it immediately upon arriving at the airport, from the segregated lines for women, to the immigration officers. Yes women are allowed to work if they are on employer's sponsorship but mainly they are working in schools and hospitals.

  

Americans & westerners Expats live in compounds, secured by Saudi military far removed from real Saudi life. You will see military guards at the front of the compound with giant machine guns in case someone tries to attack the foreigners. Mostly barbed wire are fixed at the periphery of Compound’s walls.

For Foreign children there are a number of international schools some of them are run by foreign embassies catering to their international community. The standard of education at these schools is variable. Expat students can get education inside kingdom till intermediate i.e 12th standard for further under graduate studies expat students have no facility inside kingdom they are left w/ options to either do it from their native countries or from any other foreign country.

Working and living in Saudi Arabia is best treated as an adventure and new life experience. The key is to make sure one is going for the right reason – if it’s solely to make money, think again. Expats need to see a move to Saudi as a package of career advancement, cultural experience, religious holy venue, financial enrichment and a great place to teach your family about ways of life.

[T] @waqar_muhd